Let’s live a Simple New Year

We all know, intellectually, that living in the moment is the best thing we can do to maximize our living experience. What we also know is that it’s really hard to do that without spending too much time on planning for our future and looking back and regretting at our past from time to time. This seems to be the part of human experience; no matter how great the things are, it’s never enough. We often find ourselves imagining every possible scenario or organizing our future which is yet to happen. Either that, or we are enjoying or regretting over the past, the time which once was.

We always want more. Even if we are having a great time now, let’s say maybe a dinner with our loved ones, or a great concert, or even an amazing road trip, we can’t stop ourselves from planning for the future and looking forward, as if now is not enough, and always suggesting let’s do this again. We always want more.

For some people, past is the escape from the present. We, as a human being, are always regretting what we did and most of the times spend too much time on what had already happened. Is there anything we can do now to change it? The simple answer is no. Whenever we are more concerned with what has already happened than what is happening, the present moment loses its beauty, its power, its significance.

But there’s one occasion in our lives when we don’t this. This time travel from past to future just doesn’t happen. We all do it everyday. Drive.

When we drive, we avoid both unrealistic worlds. We focus on what’s happening around us. We have to keep our eyes on the road and be careful of the things on either side of the car. We know if we daydream too much, staring into the horizon, or keep looking back in the rear view, appreciating the beautiful scenery that just passed, we are going to crash.

It’s perfectly fine to occasionally glance on the roads behind us, just like it’s ideal to see what’s ahead of us from time to time when we are driving, but what we benefit the most from is the open road that’s directly in front of us. Right now. Right here. We don’t need more than this as it happens.

Let’s just drive in 2014.

Christmas Eve Miracles

Two things. Two simple things that changed the whole day for me.

There are some things that deeply affect you and force you to think what are you even doing . Then there are other things that make you realize what you should focus on rather than what you have been doing till now. Now, combine both these and feel the outcome. Some powerful stuff, right? 

That’s what my Christmas eve was about. 

First significant thing about the day was the news of Clay York, a fellow student. He died. Yes, just like that, in his early twenties. That’s it. Game over for that guy. I was surprised and shocked when I first read that. Though I didn’t know him that well, and I’ve only been with him more than a couple of times, we had our moments. That alone tells how he affected everyone around him and what kind of person he was. I still remember both of us cheering together for our Basketball team. But what can you do now, life goes on. 

Trust me, life is short. I don;t know how he dies, but he’s gone. He left me thinking. What am I doing by just sleeping and eating everyday and wasting the short period of time I have? That was really an eye-opener. Maybe tomorrow is THE day. Who knows? Everything will just remain in the wishlists. I don’t know about you all but for me, it’s too depressing and sad.

As I was overcoming my shock, my friend and I realized it’s Christmas eve and we are here with nothing to do at all. Best Christmas ever! Nevertheless, I called up a friend and went to meet him. Again, trust me, you never know what’s gonna happen to you if you take an initiative. Forrest Gump’s momma was right, life is full of surprises! We ended up playing guitar, singing songs, looking at some awesome photographs and singing “Happy Birthday” in Vietnamese for his girlfriend. I didn’t expect any of this to happen but it was the best hour of my Christmas eve. Yeah, miracles do happen on Christmas. To add a cherry on top, my friend helped me to realize what to focus on rather than just sitting around waiting for the day. Also, he gave us a Christmas tree. yeah I know I have awesome friends!

Anyways, Merry Christmas Everyone

Merry Christmas

2012 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 12,000 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 20 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.